AMA #1 Plates Handed Out in Final 17 Classes
HURRICANE MILLS, TN – August 7, 2022 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – After a memorable week of the best and most captivating amateur racing in the world, the 41st running of the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship came to a thrilling conclusion on Saturday from Tennessee’s Loretta Lynn Ranch. The gate dropped on the final set of motos of the 2022 event, where the remaining 17 classes crowned their respective AMA National Champions.
On Saturday evening the 29 different athletes who became newly crowned titleholders of the event’s 36 classes were celebrated at the awards ceremony, where their efforts from the past week were recognized in front of their family, friends, teams, and peers. Additionally, GASGAS Factory Amateur Team rider Caden Braswell received the prestigious honor of the Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award as the most promising talent in amateur motocross, while NSA Yamaha Factory Amateur Team’s Avery Long earned AMA Amateur Racer of the Year honors and Husqvarna Factory Amateur Team’s Casey Cochran was named AMA Youth Racer of the Year.
The 2022 Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship
concluded on Saturday.
Photos: Mitch Kendra (top) & Align Media (bottom)
Moto 3: Open Pro Sport
With a two-point lead entering Saturday’s final Open Pro Sport moto, all eyes were on Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Ryder DiFrancesco as he looked to overcome his hardship from the 250 Pro Sport class and end his amateur career with one of Loretta Lynn’s most high-profile championships. Unfortunately, another challenging third moto resulted in additional heartbreak for the California rider.
When the third and final moto got underway it wasn’t a surprise to once again see Phoenix Racing Honda’s Heath Harrison out front with the STACYC Holeshot, followed closely by Monster Energy/SlamLife Racing Honda’s Cole Martinez and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Talon Hawkins. DiFrancesco, meanwhile, started his moto in 16th place, but crashed in the early laps and dropped outside the top 30, which added an insurmountable amount of pressure with his championship rival battling for the lead.
Out front, Harrison and Martinez duked it out like the veteran racers they are. Martinez was able to make the pass for the lead after a couple laps and then slowly started to build a gap. Harrison…
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